Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Fields Ward-Bury me not on the prairie



Well, already a month passed without uploading a new lp... So, hoping that quality is better than quantity, i offer you today an out-of-print lp by Fields Ward, issued by Rounder in the 1970's.
Fields Ward was a superb singer and guitar player from Virgina (he could play the banjo too... Listen to "Cotton Blossom" on the lp) who was part of a talented musical family. His father was Crockett Ward, a fiddler who recorded in the 1920's and his uncle was Wade Ward, the famous old-time banjo and fiddle player. Fields recorded with his father Crockett, Wade and Uncle Eck Dunford as  The Bogtrotters, a great old-time band that was recorded by The Library of Congress in the 1930's. The present lp includes many fine songs and instrumentals and a moving acapella rendition of the cowboy song "Bury me not on the Lone Prairie". The fiddler on the disc is Jerry Lundy, grandson of the famous old-time fiddler Emmet Lundy and Fields's wife Nancy sings with her husband on a couple of tracks. I strongly recommmend that you read the liner notes on the back of the lp for more informations about the Ward Family and their music.
(On the back of the lp it says that side 2 has 7 tracks but in fact there's 8, they ommited the song "Alas my darling")
Enjoy


6 comments:

The Irate Pirate said...

The New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters? Cool! I new about wade ward and crockett, but not about fields. You always find something I don't have or don't know about, which I find quite astounding. Thanks again!

Gadaya said...

I can say the same thing to you Pirate, i discovered so much incredible music on your blog....Thanks for all...

Nick said...

I just found your blog and I love it! I hope you find the time to update it more frequently!

Abby said...

Thank you for posting this information. Fields Ward was my great-grandfather, and it's nice to see that people outside my family still know and love his music. :) God bless!

Anonymous said...

Wow - has this been a headache. I want to contact Fields Ward family members. I spent many an hour at his house in BelAir, Maryland back in the 1960s.
Please email Reed Martin
reedbanjo@verizon.net

THIS TIME I hope my email doesn't get vaporized when I try to send it.

REED MARTIN said...

Certainly the most confusing listing ever, when it comes to trying to add a comment.........

If a Fields Ward family member reads this, would you please email Reed Martin. I spent many an afternoon at BelAir with your musical relative, and have a couple of questions.
Thank you...reedbanjo@verizon.net